Does Oilguard filter really work?

paisa

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2000
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Here are the result of my second oil analysis. I am confused with the results, since the TBN actually increased at the second oil test. At 10k I changed both oil filters and added whatever oil was needed.
The car has 60,000 miles now and there was about 1/2 quart added in between the filter changes, and I changed the oil at 60,000 but wanted the oil analysis for reference purposes.

Why would the TBN go from 8.7 to 12.8?

Miles 20000 10000
glycol Neg Neg
water <.05 <0.05
fuel <1.0 <1.0
viscosity 13.6 11.7
solids n/a n/a
Soot 3 2.7
Oxd 34.4 23.3
Nox 22.9 14.3
TNB 12.8 8.7
TAN n/a n/a
Fe 62 53
Cr 2 3
Pb 1 2
Cu 4 5
Sn 1 2
Al 11 14
Ni 2 2
Ag 0 0
Mn 1 1
Si 5 11
B 27 14
Na 2 3
Mg 12 18
Ca 4319 4383
Ba 0 0
P 1218 1251
Zn 1377 1397
Mo 0 0
Ti 0 0
V 0 0
Cd 0 0
 

TooSlick

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 2, 1999
Location
Dixie
TDI
Audi 100S
Paisa,

Well, the Oilgard does not seem to be very effective in filtering out soot, but it does seem to reduce engine wear. This looks like a sample of the Series 3000, 5w-30, based on the viscosity and additive package. I would tend to believe the second TBN test over the first, since this oil normally maintains a very high TBN after extended use,even without a by-pass.

In this case I think it was a good idea to change the oil @ 60k, since the oil had thickened up a bit. This is primarily due to the soot and oxidation/nitration that is noted in the analysis.

What is really interesting is that there is very little if any increase in the levels of all the wear metals, from the first to second analysis. Even iron, which is the easiest to track, only increased by about 15% between the first and second tests.

TooSlick

www.lubedealer.com/Dixie_Synthetics
 

msparks

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 12, 1999
Location
Virginia Beach formerly from(El Paso)
TDI
2003 GLS Silver
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by paisa:
Here are the result of my second oil analysis. I am confused with the results, since the TBN actually increased at the second oil test.

<hr></blockquote>

Juan,

I don't know maybe you are confused, the higher the TBN the better.
The oil starts with a TBN of a 12+ and gets used up. Some factors that use up the TBN are moisture and acid. I would say the Oil Guard is doing a great job. You won't see a huge reduction of soot, since its submicronic. But everything else looks great.

Take Care,
 

paisa

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2000
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I was confused on the TBN going up, instead of down like I thought it would. If I am not wrong the oil has a high TBN to start with and it goes down with time due to wear.
 

Ric Woodruff

BANNED, Ric went to Coventry.
Joined
Feb 19, 1999
The AMSOIL filters work better. My oil analyses showed only 1.2% soot at 15,000 miles.
 

brian

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2000
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI (sold)
My experience is that Amsoil 5w30 TBN comes in the bottle at <=12.5 and stays there for a very long time (e.g. > 50000 miles w/bypass) The 10w40 TBN drops off much faster (e.g. 5000 w/out bypass).

I'd question
(1) your TBN was 8.7 and
(2) that it then went to 12.8, and
(3) jumped in viscosity as well.

Amsoil 10w40 does not hold as well as the 5w30 even though both baseline with the same additive package.

Its also possible that viscosity and/or TBN was tested incorrectly. Call the lab and ask them to recheck if you are really curious. They should do this. OA has had a few issues with reports and tries to correct them. They are usually helpful on the phone.

Brian
 

msparks

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 12, 1999
Location
Virginia Beach formerly from(El Paso)
TDI
2003 GLS Silver
You were using the 10w40 right?

How about this. It seems that the viscosity was a little low on the first analysis. So it might have been thinned a little bit by either moisture or fuel. After changing the filter and topping it off the viscosity came back up along with tbn.

The thinning of the oil could have been cause by cold starts, short trips or cooler temps. I had the same thing happen in my BMW. on a 6700 mile interval the Vis has thinned to a 30wt. and the TBN went to 6.5 If I would have changed the filter this would have been corrected.

It doesn't take much oil to bring additves back up to a normal level. Hence the reason Amsoil recommends filter changes at 6 month intervals reguardless of miles.
 
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